Ideal Concepts, Inc., American Insurance Organization’s sister company, has been awarded a 2017 Top Workplaces honor by The Morning Call. Ideal Concepts ranked #9 in the Lehigh Valley “Small Business” category, covering companies with 35 to 124 employees.

The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by Workplace Dynamics, a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. Several aspects of workplace culture were measured, including Alignment, Execution, and Connection, just to name a few.

Ideal Concepts President John Pequeno says, “I am extremely excited and proud to be named a Top Workplace in the Lehigh Valley. The fact that it’s our employees who graded us, based on company culture, benefits, atmosphere, training and management means a lot to me. We’ve all worked very hard to create an exciting, inclusive environment that rewards hard work and ingenuity.”

Doug Claffey, CEO of WorkplaceDynamics clarifies, “The Top Workplaces award is not a popularity contest. Oftentimes, people assume it’s all about fancy perks and benefits. But to be a Top Workplace, organizations must meet our strict standards for organizational health. And who better to ask about work life than the people who live the culture every day—the employees.”

As part of the survey, employees were encouraged to comment on what he or she felt was the strongest positive characteristic of the Ideal Concepts’ culture. One anonymous employee answered, “Leadership. I believe in the upper-management and their vision, and I humbly appreciate their trust in me to accomplish my portion of their vision.”

“Time and time again, our research has proven that what’s most important to (employees) is a strong belief in where the organization is headed, how it’s going to get there, and the feeling that everyone is in it together,” Claffey says. “Without this sense of connection, an organization doesn’t have a shot at being named a Top Workplace.”

Ideal Concepts’ employees demonstrated that they feel this significant connection in another anonymous quote: “I feel like I am an important part of the future of the company.”

As part of the results of the survey, management could compare Ideal Concepts’ scores to other businesses in the same industry. Employees scored Ideal Concepts exceptionally higher than industry benchmarks in regards to the following statements:

• “There is not a lot of negativity at my workplace.”
• “There is good inter-departmental cooperation at Ideal Concepts.”
• “I believe Ideal Concepts is going in the right direction.”
• “My manager helps me learn and grow.”
• “My manager makes it easier to do my job well.”

Another anonymous employee further demonstrated their trust and solidarity with management when he or she wrote, “I have the freedom to influence or set technical direction. Management is completely open to new ideas.”

More than 700 businesses were invited to participate in the Top Workplaces contest. These results reflect feedback from more than 10,000 employees throughout the Valley. You can check out Ideal Concepts, Inc.’s Top Workplace profile here.